Happy Earth Day: Promoting Your Cause and Saving the Environment

So Earth Day was yesterday, but let’s face it – everyday is Earth Day. There are countless ways to promote your cause while saving money and the earth’s resources. This week we are focusing on environmental causes and what other nonprofits can do to preserve our planet.

One way that nonprofits can save money and the environment is to publish their needs to their donors. When I worked at a homeless shelter we would have drives for coats, school supplies, and toys for Christmas. What better way to have the excess in your home reused than to give it away to the people who need it most? We also collaborated with several stores who donated nonperishable items that were seasonal or weren’t sold in a timely manner and used them for event auctions and raffles. We got great prizes and the store received a donation receipt.

Office efficiency is another avenue towards becoming environmentally savvy and pinching your pennies. Computers in the business sector unnecessarily waste $1 billion worth of electricity a year, so turn off that power strip when you leave for the day. While you’re at the office, set your computer to go to sleep automatically during short breaks. This can cut energy usage by 70 percent! Furthermore, think before you print. The average office worker uses 10,000 pages of copy paper a year. Print on both sides of the paper, reuse old documents for scratch paper, and recycle to reduce waste.

Technology is also a great way to saving financial and tangible resources for any organization. When I worked in my dad’s accounting office about ten years ago, they were using copy machines to keep records of client’s financial statements and previous year’s returns. Now with e-filing, scanners, and seemingly unlimited hard drive space, the halls that were once lined with thousands of files can be cleared. This holds true for many nonprofits: while direct mail and newsletters certainly have their place in fundraising, most donor communication can be done through the internet for online fundraising. Facebook, e-mails, online donations, and e-newsletters can save a ton of time, money, and paper for charities. 35% of landfill waste in America comes from paper that could be recycled; imagine the difference that could be made!

Using technology is also helpful for incorporating the above strategies. Send an e-newsletter asking donors for specific items your clients may need. In your office, create an e-mail so everyone knows the proper procedures for reducing waste. Through Fundly you can easily establish an online donation site to reduce mailers and connect to more supporters through Facebook and Twitter. Saving money and preserving our environment is easy with just a few simple steps!